Stairway.



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, (A'ppnmion med gaps. 25, 1901..

(No Model.)

A |NvENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. TILYOU, OF OONEY ISLAND, NEW YORK.

'STA|RWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,455,1 dated May 20, 1902'. Application filed September 25,1901. Serial No. 70,458. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. TILYoU, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Coney Islandin the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, countyofKings, and State of New York, have invented certainlnew and useful Improvements inStairways, of which the following is aV specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to the class of stairways patented to me in and by Letters Patent of the United States of America No. 624,405, dated the 2d day of May, 1899. This stairway comprises two stair-sections suitably supported and means whereby they are simultaneously reciprocated in opposite directions, and is particularly designed to afford amusement to persons using the same, its operation tending greatly to confuse the user. I have Afound in the actual use of the stairway that as the majority of persons who use it are not e familiar with its action it isnecessary to guard against possible accident,- as at the end of each reciprocation of the stair-sections the topA and the bottom steps are raised to a considerable extent above the top and the bottom landing, respectively. This tends not only to give a dangerous appearance to the stairway, butto one who is not familiar with it there is the danger of a misstep, which might result in a fall through stumbling or having the foot crushed between the step and the landing.

The object of this invention is to provide a stairway wherefrom these objectionable features will be absent; and to this end the invention consists in certain improvements to the invention shown and described in said Letters Patent No. 624,405, as hereinafterset forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referringto the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of my improvedstairway. Fig. 2 isa plan view thereof. Figf is a detailed plan view of the lower portion of the stairway, and Fig. 4 is a similar view of the upper portion thereof.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.`

Between the landings a and b are extended the parallelstationary guides or ways c, having channels therein to guard against lateral movement of the reciprocating stair-sections A and also carrying antifriction-rollers d. The stair-sectionsA each comprise the ordi# nary stringers e, carrying the risers f and nels in the guides or ways c and moving on the rollers d. Two of these sections are preferably mounted side byY side, the'adjoining stringere e being fitted snugly together and lubricated to reduce friction, and thus permit the two sections to come in to sufficiently'- ss treads g, said stringers seated within the chanintimate contact to avoid danger of the wearing-apparel being caught between them. It is to be understood that the risers and treads are conterminons andflush with the surfaces of their respective adjoining stringere, so that at least one point of their reciprocation the treads of the two sections will be on the same horizontal plane and form one continuous tread. To the uppermost tread is secured a,

lto admit of the movement of the shield m,

due to longitudinal travel ofthe stair-section, this shield being of sufficient length to remain at all times within the slot in the landing ct. I also provide a hand-rail h on the outer edge of cach stair-section A, which is carried thereby and reciproca-tes therewith.

The stair-sections A are reciprocated simultaneously and in opposite directions by means of the powerdriven double crankshaft o and ptmenp.

The operation of my improved stairway in so far as has not already been described is as follows The two parallel stair-sections A are rapidly and simultaneously reciprocated in opposite directions by means ofthe double crank-shaft o and pitmen p, power being d erived from anydesired' source. This causes the treads to constantly change theirposition relative to the landings and each other and necessitates considerable agility to mount the Iirst step in either direction and ascend or IOO descend except on one of thc sections only.

The continuous movement of the whole section also tends to produce a miscalculation of both height and distance, and thereis resulting confusion and amusement. The use of the hand-rail 71 lnoving synchronously with its section, serves to prevent accident While on the stairway. The shield 7c at the top landing being hinged to the uppermost tread reciprocates therewith; but the free end drops upon and remains in contact with the landing and maintains constant communication between the stair-section and the said landing, thus presenting at all times a plane surface which prevents a person from stumbling over the projected upper step or from stepping under the tread thereof and having the foot crushed. The swinging shield m also reciprocates with its section; butits free end is guided by the slot in the lower landing and passes over the roller n, thus maintaining a constant barrier, which prevents a person from inserting the foot beneath the lowermost tread and the landing, with result-insr injury to that member. These ,m minimize the danger ina-fre use of my improved staivayfad: the same time removes/therefrom an appearance of danger,

which in actual practice increases the utility of the device.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise construction herein shown and described, as it is obvious that there may be many deviations therefrom Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is`

l. In a stairway, the combination with a reciprocatin g stair-section, guides or ways therefor, means whereby it is reciprocated and a stair-landing, of a shield in constant communication between said stair-section and said landing, substantially as described.

2. In a stairway, the combination with a reci procating stai r-seetion, guides or Ways therefor, means whereby it is re'ciprocated and a stair-landing, of a shield hinged to said section and maintained in constant contact with said landing, substantially as described.

3. In a stairway, the combination with a reci procating stair-section, guides or ways there fol-,m eans whereby it is reciprocated and top and bottom stair-landings, of a shield hinged to the top tread of said stairsection and maintained in constant contact with said top landing and a swinging shield carried by 1.19/ lowerm ost tread of saidstairgseclti/ona-ndl/noving in a slot in said bott anding, substantially as d r 6E 4c. Ina airway, the combination with a reacipicatin g stair-section, guides or ways there- Vitnesses:

F. T. IIEMPSTEAD, F. T. WENTWORTH. 

